A Dance
by Rosa Clearwater
Summary: A simple dance can reveal things. Takes place in GoF


"That's the last of them" McGonagall said in relief. She observed Mister Malfoy being dragged off to his common room (wherever that was) by a squealing Pansy Parkinson and began to dim the lights in the huge room, beginning to clean up magically. Draco, like McGonagall, was completely exhausted from the Ball, but unlike McGonagall he showed it. She turned and Dumbledore stood a few feet away watching her as though pondering something. She didn't realize that he was still, and shock turned to curiosity: Why was the Headmaster still here?

"Albus?"

"Yes my dear?" Albus asked her. She sighed and shook her head, realizing that he was still in his own little world.

"Never mind Albus. It's 3am, and I still have a few papers to grade." Minerva said. While she exhausted, she wanted to get that _music_ (more like screeching noises) out of her head before retiring to her bed.

"Minerva. . ." He said softly, having been completely oblivious to what she was saying.

"Yes Albus?" She asked, slightly irritated and hurt he wasn't listening to her.

"You didn't relax at all tonight." He said and walked towards her. She scoffed.

"How could I? That entire racket was quite painful to listen to, not to mention many students were prancing around like ponies. I mean did you see how many of the students— Albus what in Merlin's name are you doing?" She had began to rant and to silence her, he swiftly walked over and closed the distance between them silencing her by putting his hand on her shoulder. She lightly blushed at the slight tingle that she had felt when he touched her, but was successfully silenced.

"Minerva, you need to take your mind off the Tournament." He said, and she felt his breath on her neck, her hair still up with that ugly hat with thistles. She turned to him, basking in the comforting warmth he radiated off himself, taking note of his blue eyes that were twinkling. Not mischievously, but brilliantly. He took her hand in his own, and smiled slightly.

"Care to dance my dear?" He asked her. Her insides froze with fear. Albus asking her to dance, while seeming like a brilliant idea, might make her reveal feelings. Feelings she had inside herself that she was afraid to speak about because they could alienate the best relationship of her life. But still she found herself nodding, and felt herself being adjusted to the proper ballroom dance position, with Albus leading her.

No music struck, no singing voices appeared out of thin air, no boys watched from underneath tables in shock. Simply the sound of their footsteps dancing around the room was all that was heard. But even then the footsteps faded away, as she slowly began to relax.

Their dance was awkward slightly at first. They weren't perfectly waltzing the empty room, or heating it up with passion from the tango. She was stiff still afraid to let herself go, but he was determined.

They first started with a simply waltz, Minerva being spun around. The fact that she was staring fully into Albus' eyes didn't stop her, didn't even faze her. All of a sudden, a wild spin tore off her hat, the thistles shining in the light as they fell to the ground. Her hair fell out of its containment, gracefully falling behind her face, slightly framing it. She felt a half smile come out, and this gave Albus even more determination. Her walls were beginning to fall, and the dance had only begun.

They soon moved onto the foxtrot. Albus and Minerva mimicked each other superbly, one stepping back, one stepping forward. Having been dancing around in a circle, they slowly made their way into the center. Albus smiled, lifting her up for a moment, before they glided around some more. The distance between the two had started off professionally (far apart), but as their dance progressed more and more, they became closer and closer.

And suddenly, she recognized the new dance he was doing as the Tango. Minerva felt her face turn red. She might be able to follow the waltz, barely manage keeping up in their swift foxtrot, but Minerva was not amazing at the Tango. Try as she might, she prayed this dance would end soon before she humiliated herself.

And it happened. She had tripped over slightly in her robes. _Sodding Heavy Teaching Robes_, She thought to herself, but Albus managed to turn her mistake into something beautiful. As if knowing what would happen, he kept her balanced, and turned her misstep into a passionate dip. Her glasses fell off her by this point, the force of the dip was artistic and swift.

Minerva found herself a good few inches from the floor, staring into Albus' eyes, watching the twinkle brighten for a second.

"Albus" A soft whisper came out. She expected to be dropped, or pulled back into a standing position. What happened next shocked her even more than that.

"My dear, forgive me." He said and pulled from the dip into a kiss. It was polite, expecting rejection, but instead of letting this chance get snatched away from her, she returned it. Both their eyes widened as the kiss deepened, and they only came out of it to breath. She smiled looked at him, all fear gone and smiled. They no longer were in any dance position, merely staring at each other no, slightly panting from the kiss.

"I've always admired your lovely hair" He said and her smile turned into a grin.

"Care to dance?" She asked him, now having the courage to try once more.

"Only if you promise to eat a lemon drop." He said and she laughed as they rearranged themselves into the correct position to dance. They began again, but Minerva made it a slow dance, gently resting her head on his chest.

"I love you Albus" She whispered

"I love you even more Minerva." He responded, slowly guiding her out of the room. He flicked his wands at the lights and it became pitch black, but he knew his way around the castle by heart, leading her easily to his quarters.

**Cheesy, yes. But still the inner romantic inside me told me to put it on here. Did you hate it? Or Did you love. I don't own Harry Potter.**


End file.
